Infra-apparel

Since the 18th century clothing has tended to reveal its framework and inner layers, blurring the line between the private realm and the public presentation. One generation's hidden structures are another's conspicuous designs; one generation's undergarments are another's flaunted outergarments. From the chemise a la reine that Marie Antoinette preferred over formal court dress to the Express Yourself ensemble of Jean Paul Gaultier, we recognize the indecorousness of visible underwear, the shock of peek-a-boo clothes, the taboo and titillation of holes in clothing.